A Compendium of Shiekah Customs
by SheikahMaster
Summary: This is a fictional history of the Shiekah in the Zelda universe. Contain Death rites, armor descriptions, equipment, weapons, and various other items of interest. I do not own these characters and Nintendo owns the Shiekah.
1. History of the Shiekah

A Compendium of Shiekah Customs

Who are the Shiekah?

The Shiekah are a group of nomadic stealth warriors that live around Kakoriko village and Kakoriko Graveyard. Their culture involves a variety of strange customs and rituals, not all of which I totally understand. To give you a brief idea of how the Sheikah started, let me elaborate on their history. The Sheikah were started by a bodyguard to the first Princess Zelda named Shiek. He served the Royal Family faithfully and guarded them with his life. Until he was betrayed. The royal family double crossed Shiek after he killed a member of the Gerudo when he thought that a group of the desert thieves were trying to assassinate the princess. The Royal Family promised the Gerudo that they would hand over Shiek's body in return as a peace offering. When Shiek discovered the plot, he easily defeated the Gerudo guards who had come to take him to the fortress. He retreated to Kakoriko village to avoid pursuit by the guards to take him back and started a group of bodyguard mercenaries and named them the Shadow Ones. They hired themselves out to the Royal Family as mercenaries and took their unique type of armor, which concealed their faces and prevented such a double cross every again. The Shadow Ones did well for many years afterwards, until a Gerudo war party found out who Shiek was. They immediately sent a small raiding band to float down the Zora River until they reached Kakariko Bridge. They hid under, using specialized desert Gerudo climbing claws, until Shiek and a small band of Shadow Ones crossed the bridge for a supposed meeting with the Royal Family. The Gerudo ambushed them and shot Shiek in the leg with a poisoned dart. The Shadow Ones, seeing that they could do nothing, took him back to the village and preformed the Shiekah rites of burial. Afterwards, the Council of Elders was established and the clan's name was changed to the Shiekah in honor of their famed warrior. They also added a single eye with a tear drop to their armor, in remembrance of the Royal Family's betrayal, known as the Eye of Shadows. After a time, they traveled around Hyrule, building Gossip Stones to eavesdrop on criminals, and designing the Lens of Truth after a prophesy that one day a new hero would come to need it. They locked the Lens away in a chest and hid it in the well, controlled by the Shiekah song, the Song of Storms. They placed a vicious Shadow Monster their to guard it, known as a Dead Hand until the hero would come. After the Imprisoning War, the Shiekah slowly died out until Impa and Zelda were the only two left in Hyrule.


	2. Shiekah Armor

Chapter Two: Armor

A Shiekah's armor gives them the unique look that all Sheikah have. To put on a suit of Shiekah armor takes around one hour. The warrior first ties a simple blue loincloth onto their body. After this a dark blue clinging uni-sex suit is pulled over the loincloth and buttoned tightly at the back. This tight suit does not restrict body movement although it does make hiding weapons challenging. The suit's shoe soles have boot leather built into the soles, allowing the Shiekah to walk freely without cumbersome boots. The buttons are abnormally large, sometimes measuring around two inches in diameter and forged from ingots of solid steel. A Shiekah warrior is trained to block unseen attacks from the back using these buttons as braces. Next the breast and back plate is fastened to the suit, protecting the warrior from frontal attacks. The plate is made of steel hammered until it curves, perfectly fitting the warrior's chest. The plate is only a few millimeters thick but the Shiekah have developed a complex method of heating and quenching the steel the correct number of times to harden it until it can blunt a sword point. One peculiar item about Shiekah armor is that there is one Achilles point in the breastplate. The pupil of the Eye of Shadows is the only part of armor where there is a circular hole only around the diameter of an index finger. If attacking a Shiekah warrior, the best method of attack is to use a dagger and aim at the Eye of Shadows. Next, a pair of iron cuffs are clasped around the wrists and riveted into place. Clean white bandages are woven around the cuffs, concealing the fact that the warrior has any armor on. Then, a steel skull cap in placed over the hair, which the Shiekah has grown long to conceal their face. Again, tight bandages are woven around the steel cap, concealing the armored piece of equipment again. Afterwards, a tight scarf is wound around the nose and mouth and tied in the back using a special Shiekah knot. Finally, tight bandages are woven around the fingers and palms to prevent blistering from weapon use. There are several others steps to Shiekah weaponry such as fixing the hair for maximum face coverage and ceremonial practices before the bodyguards go out. These will be covered later in the selection.


	3. Shiekah Equipment and Weapons

Chapter Three: Shiekah Equipment

The Shiekah have developed a variety of intricate tools and weapons that help them on their missions. The best known of these are the Deku Flash, which allows the Shiekah to vanish and reappear. In this segment I will describe the various equipments that they use to guard the Royal Family.

Sheikahla: These are iron claws that are fastened to the feet using a series of complex rope systems. They are used to scale stone walls and wooden trees. The Shiekah also use them to accent their deadly kicks. The Council of Elders uses the spikes on their feet as a punishment. Ten kicks with the Shiekahla is not an uncommon punishment for stealing from other Shiekah.

Alshiekah: Alshiekah are band of leather fitted with iron claws that are worn around the hand. A wide strip of leather covers the wrist to prevent accidental lacerations. These are fastened to the wrist via a series of complicated leather and brass buckles.

Shiekah Staff: This is a weapon that every warrior must know how to use. It is made of Deku wood and is hollow. One end is open to allow the Shiekah another secret weapon. The warriors often hide small knives and needles in the hollow portion allowing them to flick the staff and launch the knife at attackers. The other end is carved into a scoop which can be used to throw small stones and sand at the enemy to blind them.

Dekulala: This is a short two foot stick made of Deku that has a three foot chain attached to it with a spiked ball at the end. It is used as a flail or to aid in climbing up buildings.

Dasabulu: This is a three foot stout Deku pole with two one foot chains at the ends. This is swung through the air at great speed to crack the enemy over the head.

Poisontae: These are small rings that are dipped in the poison of the Tektite. This toxin affects the nervous system, paralyzing the body, freezing up an enemy's movements.

Scartaka: These are iron claws attached to the fingernails using leather bands that can easily gouge an enemy's eyes or leave long rents in the flesh.

Shadoew: These are minature knives retrieved from a pouch strapped to the leg.Shiekah can hit an orange at twenty yards with these darts.

Shikel: These are the daggers which all Shiekah carry on their person. With these knives they can break another sword and stab an attacker. These knives are also weighted for throwing with a small lead disc at the end to drive the dagger home.

Shiekahwod: These are the swords of the Shiekah. They are forged by the Gorons and can cut through any other steel like butter. The points will not blunt against any armor, but will pierce it in a few thrusts. These swords will never break.

Telebo: These are small stars of sharpened metal which are scattered across the ground the deter pursuers. Shiekah use them to battle their enemies.

Amadro: These are small clay prints of animals which Shiekah press into the ground to throw off pursuers.

Zarbalzo: These are small lamps which can be opened to only a crack to let light through.

Kazabo: These are grappling hooks which they use to scale walls.

Kacoco: This is a small wooden can which carries medicines and antiseptics that they use to heal wounds.

Deku Flash: Deku Flash is a nut which allows a Shiekah to teleport. First, the Shiekah grinds up a bowl of Deku nuts for their flash properties. A bundle of Deku sticks are ground up and poured into the bowl. It is then mixed with Tektite venom and ground with a pestle. Then another nut is cracked open and the powder poured inside. The nut is bound up with tight bandages and the Eye of Shadows painted in red on the front. To teleport, a Shiekah throws the nut to the ground and will their bodies to occupy the desire space. They then reappear in the desired location. First timers result may vary. All Shiekah carry these nuts in a bag tied to their thigh.


	4. Shiekah Training

Shiekah Training:

Shiekah training may be some of the most vigorous in the entire Zelda universe. This training takes place over the entire land of Hyrule, as well as under the land in the Maze of Tears. This training starts when a Sheikah child reaches the age of twelve, before which they have been studying the basics of Shay De Bo, The Dance of Tears, the Shiekah's style of unarmed combat, as well as silent movement, and the secret tricks of the Shiekah. Shiekah children who wish to aspire as medical specialists have already began learning the healing herbs in the area, and practicing surgery on straw and cloth dummies. When it is time for a child to move on to primary training, the parents of the young Shiekah throw a large party in the village square. At this party the young Shiekah is given his first set of knives and his own bag of Deku Flash and a small bow and quiver full of goose-feathered arrows. The Shiekah drinks their first goblet of spiced wine, symbolizing their passage into adulthood. The males receive their first razor blade to shave as no Shiekah except for the Master of Shadows is allowed to grow a beard. They receive their wooden leather covered canteen, their first official armor jumpsuit instead of the long tunic which all children under twelve wear belted around the waist. The recruit then bids farewell to his mother, father, and siblings, before jumping onto his horse and following the rest of the crowd out of the village at a racing gallop with the wind whipping through his newly grown long hair. The destination is three days ride away in the Kokiri village. The Shiekah will begin their low diet training by being fed only salted meat and stale bread with water. After day one the water in the canteens begin to taste more like leather and less like water. Once the forest is reached, lessons can officially begin. The young shiekah are taught the techniques of forest survival and the weaknesses of forest monsters such as Wolfos and Moblins. They practice agility and strength at the Forest Training Center. Only the course's first level is open to outsiders, the other three levels, hidden in the tall Deku trees, are reserved for the Shiekah's training purposes.

The course's first level consists of two giant boulders which roll around a maze of shoulder high grass and thick stone walls. The only way to avoid the boulders, is to duck into small square "hiding holes" into which only the fittest contestants can remain for even short periods of time. After reaching a small ladder at the other end of the maze, the young warrior hauls their body up the rungs. The trick to the ladder is that every fourth rung is rotten. Most Shiekah fall on their first three attempts before figuring out the illusion. On the second level, two boulders and four spinning blades rotate around the maze on a random basis. The warrior struggles to avoid the boulders as the maze is now no longer stone. The deku branches twine thickly together, blocking the route to any new path. The real trick as most adult Shiekah know, is to throw a Deku Flash and teleport to the ladder at the end of the paths. Upon reaching the ladder, the young warrior discovers that the entire thing is rotten, thereby forcing them to use a nearby vertical traveling blade to haul themselves up. The third level is in total darkness, all light blocked out by the large leaves of the trees. There are no traps on this course, just a test of the Shiekah's night vision capabilities. The fourth level is the most difficult. Here there are no visible traps, merely a series of disguised trap doors, capable of sending the recruit four stories down. After passing the course, the recruits are set to stalk each other through the Sacred Forest Meadow, filled with Moblins and Deku Scrubs. Upon reaching the stone steps to the Inner Meadow, the teams discover a giant moblin with a spiked club. The entire point of this exercise is to show the recruits that one cannot do what a unit may accomplish. After defeating the Moblin, the Shiekah are given their first harps. Each harp frame is made of Moablite, a light but strong metal taken from moblin hide. The strings are made from braided silver, and precious stones emboss the frame. The warriors are taught Saria's Song, which allows them to communicate with their fellow teammates as long as the keep playing the melody together. The next day the warriors mount and saddle their horses, riding towards Kakariko village for their first assessment. The recruits must use every ounce of agility in their bones to climb the steep Tektite and boulder filled slope of Death Mountain. Upon reaching the top, they are taught by the Gorons the basics of forging swords and shields. They learn to make an herbal mixture, which renders them flameproof for one month for every mouthful they take. The powder is bitter and spicy, but the recruits are grateful for it once they find that in return for the Goron's fine made swords, they must hunt down and kill a Dodongo and skin its hide. The next day, after all hides are collected they set of again for Zora's Domain, journeying down the Octorock filled pathways. There they are taught diving and swimming techniques. The diving is practiced off of the three story waterfall just beyond the Zora King's Royal Chambers. The Zora life-guard running the waterfall throws a handful of rupees into the water. The Shiekah is told to dive off the edge and collect all twenty rupees in under ten seconds. Once passing they are given another mixture that has two functions. The recruits are required to dive fifty feet into the ground to reach the miniscule opening into Lake Hylia. They must collect frog legs from the Strange Doctor. They must return this to King Zora in under three minutes for him to mix up a vial of Frog Drops. These are first placed in the eyes and then drank. This gives the recruits the added abilities of perfect vision and the ability of water breathing. The next journey is to Lon Lon Ranch in Hyrule field. Every Shieakh's horsemanship is challenged. Each is allowed two days to pick out a sturdy horse to replace the small ponies that they recently have been riding. These will be the horses that carry them throughout Hyrule, through war and flight. The real challenge comes after they have found their horse. They must race Talon, the owner of the ranch, for their horses. The Shiekah masters have mentally pumped up their charges so much that only three people have ever failed the first race. Those three were the evil warriors who were not of Shiekah birth at all but still took the training. Their names were Ganondorf, Agahinim, and Veran. The young recruits last test is the Shadow Temple, or as the Shiekah call it, the Maze of Tears. The young Shiekah are challenged to complete the temple alive. In the process they are shown what true terror is as they struggle with the control of their own minds as the dead creatures in the temple fight to brainwash them, as they had been brainwashed many years ago. The true fight is with Bongo Bongo, and as the young Shiekah soon learn, the fear of nothing is really the fear of the unknown. If they pass alive, they are put on "standing duty", where they are given the most basic of missions and assignments guarding the least dangered Royal Family members such as great- great half- uncles. This concludes Shiekah training. Do not forget the Shiekah motto that is drilled into every warrior's head from the time they are babies.

"In the Shadows, Only the Strong Survive!"


End file.
